NATIONAL ARCHIVES

IRELAND

Reference Code: 2011/127/1129

Creation Date(s): 11 June 1981

Extent and medium: 4 pages

Creator(s): Department of the Taoiseach

Access Conditions: Open

Copyright: National Archives, Ireland. May only be

reproduced with the written permission of the

Director of the National Archives.

_3008 ESTR El

,<" . '440026 H IBERN I A

NO.314

10 June 1981 __ ~;

1. FOLLO'1ING IS TEXT OF RESOLUTION TA3LEJ/BY KEN IJEDY, hOYN IHA:J A~JJ JOJJ AN::; OTHERS TOGETHER I,j ITH ACCOr",PAI 'Y ING STATEr'IENT :-

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

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tl;R KENNEJY (FOR HIHSELF, MR l~iOYHHAN, t"iR OODD, ~IR LEAHY, MR EA.GLETO:J, hR LEVI;'J , ;·:R INOUYE, r'lR HART( [\:R TSONGAS, I'IR PELL, MR CRANSTO~, MR PROX~IJRE, AN] MRS WEICKER) INTRODUCED THE FOLLO ~.ING JOINT RESOLUTIO~: WH ICH 1AS READ TWICE AND REFERRED TO "THE COhl"IITTEE ON FORE IGN RELAT Ions • .,., .. _----

JO '~T RESOLUT IOi'l ON THE HUNGER STRIKE IN NORTHERN IRELAND

~JHERE AS THE CO;JT I NUHW V IOLENCE I N ~'ORTHEnN I RELANJ HAS TAKEN THE L IVES OF j"ORE THAN 1'.:0 THOUSAND t'IEN, ~OhEN , AND CH IL:JRE I IN THE PAST ;::'ECADE:

WHEREAS A~ END TO THE KILLING AND THE VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN I RELANJ C 1\: BE: ACH I EVE J O'JL Y THRCUGH A POl IT I CAL SETTLEi·;E NT WITH THE CONSENT OF ALL THE PARTIES:

\>JHEREAS CONGRE~S I S DEEPLY COtlCERNEJ OVER THE HUNGER STR I KE IN NORTH:RN IRELAND A~4J THE DEATHS RESULT ING FROh THE STR IKE:

RESOLVED BY THE SE~ATE A~D HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF

THE ut-! !TED STATES I~~ CO \JGRESS ASSEI.3LED, THAT ----------------'---------' (i) CONGRESS CONJE~NS THE VIOLENCE ON ALL SIDES IN NORTHERN IRELANJ:

(2) co'rRESS URGES Tt~c P/RT IES TO EXPLORE ALL POSS I3LE STEPS TO AVO I i) FURTHER JEATHS I N THE HUtJGER STR I KE AND ACHIEVE Ad iI'ihEl:>IATE MJO HU ANITARIAN RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUF.3 .1 I Tt-lE STR IKE:

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-(A) TO EXE~CI :E GREAT~R FLEXI 3 1LITY I :J ThE ;U hl-N ISTRATION OF PRISON RULES IN NORTHERN IRELAND: AND

( 3 ) TO I' :V IrE TI-IE EUI.OP£:A ,1 cor';'lI S3 10 J C : HUi'1A.J R IGHTS OR OTHE R APPKOPR I ATE H. EP C:'JErlT PART I ES TO PART ICIPATE I N THE EFFORT TO SETILE THE STRIKE:

CO ,JGRESS URGES THE POL IT IC AL LEA iJERS IN GREAT BR ITA I:-J , 'WRTHER II IR~L A~':J , A:-.JD THE REPUBL IC OF /RELANJ TO SEEK THE EARLI EST POSS IBLE SETTLE r£ ~T

OF THE LARGER CO ,)FL ICT I ~\J J ORTHE R ~J I RELMJJ THROUGH A I';EGOT I ATE J AGFiE EI"EUT TH AT AC H IEVES A L AST I ~! G PEACE , THAT H~S TI-:[ CO';5Efn OF ~\LL THE PART IES, THAT RECOG ~J IZ E S T~J E RIGHTS OF JOTH THE CATHOLIC A~D THE PROTESTANT COili ' l U '~ ITY Pl IWRTHERrJ I RE LA D , AfD THAT SECURES FULL RESPECT FOR HUhA~J RIGHTS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF THAT L AN D: AND

CONGRESS REQUESTS THE PRESi JENT OF THE UN ITED STATES TO EXPRESS TO THE PR "·.E h l N ISTER OF GREAT BR ITA I N THE CONCERN OF THE Af ,ER /CAN PEOPLE FOR AJ I t·jHED I ATE SETTLEhENT OF THE HUNGeR STR I KE f. ,U A LAST I r: G SETTI Fr·:nn OF THE CO t'!FL !eT I ~~ NORTHER :J !RELMm .

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STATEMENT OF SE\JATOR E)v.t.\R D H KE~!, !EDY I NTRO ... UC I NS A RESOLUT IO~~ O:! ThE HU,IGER STR I KE I N NORTHE R~~ J RE L ANJ .

FOR I ~MEJIATE RE LE ASE JUNE 10 1991

1 SEND TO THE JESK A RESOLUT I ON ON THE HUNGER STRI KE IN . NORTHERi~ I RE L A, J , A'JJ I ,\SK THAT IT k~Y 3E REFE Ri1E J TO THE SEt~ATE CO .',!'-I ITTEE or~ FORE/G.' RELAT IOl'lS .

THE JEATH OF FOUR 1-1'JilGER STR I KERS If~ THE HAZE PR I SO,J I N BE LFAST I '·) ~ECENT t:ECKS IS ,\ SAD ) AY FO~ IRELnn A'J J FOR ALL

# V/HO SEEl' PEACE F~ ~;O RTHER'j I REL~;J J I\ :J0 MJ EN.) TO THE V IOLE NCE THAT HAS CLA If,iEJ SO hANY L I VES MD SCARREJ SO i'JANY NORE IN THE PAST IJECADE .

THE A~ 'IOWJCEr'~E'JT THIS ''';EEK THAT hORE PRI SO tERS 1,'1 1LL JO I N ' THE HUIJGER STR I KE 13 A Tf~ AG I C ;4E):/ ESC/\L/\T I ON OF THE CR IS IS. NO\~ , BEFORE AJJ IT I O:I AL EATHS AI'D BLOO JSHED OCCUR , IT IS ESSE \lT I AL FOR THE P ~F. T IE3 TO hA KE '\ ~J U2.3E' T EFFC ~T TO EilD TH IS LETHAL STALEt',ATE AiEj TO ACH 1 EVE A F A I R A:W HUHAN ITAR I AN RESO­LUT I O~ OF THE / SS UES J.J THE STR 1 KE .

THE JO I ~T RESOLUTI OI ~E ARE I ~TROJUC I NG TODAY IS DES IGNED TO HE LP THE PART IES REACH THAT GOAL. IT CONTA LJS FI VE S IGN IF 1-CANT PRO'" S I O' lS :

- F I RST , IT CO:-DE 'iI~S THE V I OLENCE ON ALL S I DES / N r"ORTHERN I RE LAiJJ .

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- .... ..:.t."v iJ, IT U .r;I:~ Hlt tJ AI{ I :) 1 u tXPUJI\E ALL PO~S I uLE STEPS TO E J) THE HUNGER 3TRIKE.

-TH I RD, IT UqGt:S THE JR IT J:-;P rOVE NI·:E ~ T, ~JH I CH HAS CLEAR RESPO~SI3ILITY FOR PRI~O , J AJ~INISTRATIO~ I~ NORTHE1:·j IRELA:L, TO EXERCI3E: GREHER FLEXIBILITY \'ITH RESPECT TO PRISON PROCEJURE. SURELY IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACH I E'/E A RE ASO~lAJLE C01'IPRO,'11 SE O~J I SSUES SUCH AS CLOTHI\!G, PRISO '! t.:ORK REQUIREI'iENTS , AN) THE ASSOCIATION CF THE PR 130 ,=:RS, '.,IITHOUT cm ?ROr" S I "G HJ A~JY t':AY ON THE BASIC PRI'JCIPLE OF OPPOSITIO;J TO VIOLE:JCE. THIS PROVISIO~; OF THE RESOLUTIO:J ALSO CALLS O~~ 5RITAIIl TO f iNITE ThE EU~OPEAl COI .i, l :;s rO'! O~l HUI HI :-'IGHTS OR OTHER APPROPRIATE I~ )E PE~)ENT P~RTIES TO PARTICIP~T[ IN THE EFFORT TO SETTLE THE STR I i<E . I N THE PAST , JR ITA I ~~ HAS IhPLEf.ErJTcJ RECO,'~i',E~DAT 10,3 OF THe COIIIIISS IOi'] \':tTH RESPECT TO THE fOJIFICATIC'! O~ PRISO:/ RULES , M;J A SIfIJILAR !"iITIATIVE AT THIS Tft~E BY THE COl'wIlSSI0~4 COULD PROV I DE THE BREAKTHROUGH rJEE DE D TO END THE CURRE NT STR I KE.

-FOURTH, THE RESOLUTIOJ URGES POLITICAL LEA!)ERS IN BRITAIN, IRELANJ , A~) NORTHERN IRELANJ TO SEEK THE EARLIEST POSS I i:LE ~JE30T I ~TC: ') SETTLEi,,;:'n OF THE LARG!:R CONFL ICT

IN lORTHEH \1 IRELA~J ;) . THAT SETTLE.'IEiIT tlUST BE ACH IEVE ;) f,.""" ""1'- ""r\"f""I,-,,-,.. r'\,- At ...... Ir- "'.f""\ ..... r-'" .... ... .. " ......... ____ ..• __ ~": I I n I ne. t."V,~.;)t:.1 I vr ~l.. l.. I fit:. ~~l\ 1 1[:0. I1 j'IU,;) 1 KCl,uu/4ILt.

THE R ISHTS OF BOTH THE CATHOL I C A~'J THE PROTEST M~T COI'/u"/U'J ITY. MD IT 'IU0 T SECURE FULL RESPECT FOR THE HUGAN RIGHTS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF NOrTHERN IRELAND. THE HUNGER STRIKE IS A SYf.1PTOj'l OF A DEEPER CRISIS-A CRISIS THAT ~II LL GO ON A'lJ ON I NJORThERN I RELt\:W, UNT fL ALL \iHO TRULY SEEK AN E~J TO THE VIOLE~CE CARE E~OU~H TO SPEAK AND ~ORK FOR PEACE.

-F IFTH, THE RESOLUT ION REQUESTS THE PRES IJENT TO EXPRESS TO lHE PR HIE 1,11 r,l ISTER OF G;iEAT BR IT A I ~~ THE CONCERN OF THE AtllER ICA i~ PEOPLE FeR A'~ I, i lE I) I ATE EIID TO THE HUi.GEh STR 1 KE AND A LAST I'G SETTLE,~ENT OF THE CO'JFL ICT I N NORTHERN IRELAND. THE U~IIT::::; STATES HAS AN IHPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE SEA~CH FOR peACE, MU THE AD;';f1.JISTRATIO,J SHOUL:> NOT HESITATE TO EXERCISE IT.

BEFOQE hORE HU'!8ER ST;~' KE ~S ;) lE, EEFO,,,!: j'.Ol{E LItES :\RE LOST I V IOLE~~T ~E::',O~!STRt\T IC'l3, :JE FonE ';LL THE HOPEFUL Pf~C~RE~S CF PAST l'IO'lTHS TO~;AR,}3 A ,~E30T I ATEJ SETTLEi,E~JT IS LOST, IT IS TIII,E FOR BR ITA IN TO ACT TO 3REAK TH IS EdJLESS SP I ~AL OF JEATH It) NORTHER;~ IRELA';) , SO THH LEAd::RS OF GOO';) Id lLL {-lAY RESUhE THEIR EFFORT TO CREATE A LASTI'!" PEf\CE.

(SEE THE OTHER SIJE FOR THE TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION ~H ICH ~/AS INTRODUCED BY SE ~ATORS KENiJE 1JY, hOYNIHAN, A~D JOJJ .~

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IT IS EXPECTEJ THAT A RESOLUTIO~ IN SIMILAR TER~S WILL BE INTRO uUCEJ I no THE HOUSE TOJAY OR EARLY .JEXT "';EEK BY SHANtWr'~ ( J-j:IASS ) ANi) .JOUGHERTY (R-PA). I,·,'E \'J I LL KEEP YOU POSTE~).

CONGRESSrlAN 3 1 AGG I PROPOSES ALSO TO TABLE A RESOLUT ION · --r TOJAY ALONG THE FOLLO\I\;~ LI Il~~ :- ~

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\vHE RE,.\S I R iSH hE N ARE JY IrJG ON A HU.lGER STR I KE IN NORTHER~ IRELANJ1 A~) .

WHEREAS t .. :ORL:J PLEAS 1 l'lCLU J ING O;JE BY POPE JOHN PAUL 11, HAVE BEEN REGISTERE9, AND WHEREAS THIS HOUSE DEPLORES ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE, NOW, THEREFCRE 3E IT RESOLVED THAT THE HOUSE EXPRESSES ITS JEEP CO~CERN OVER THE HUNGER STRIKE AN~ CALLS UPON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO EXERCISE GREATER URGENCY AN] F'LEX!3!L!TY It: iINJi:;G A HUi'iA:'JIM~IAN SOLUTION .

RESOLUT 10::S O,4CE T ABLE) A~E fiEFERRED TO THE RESPECT I VE FORE I GN AFF A I RS CO: ,:-1ITTEES OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE \vHERE, I j THE ~mRnAL COURSE OF TH I NGS I THEY TAKE THE I R PLACE O~J THE AGE'DA \.J I TH ALL THE OTHER VAR IOUS RESOLUT IONS SIMILARLY REFERRED.

END OF MESSAGE \ 11 JUt 'E 1981

TI~E SENT:::1736HRS) 25300G ESTR El ••••• ABOVE ~::NT VIA ITT JUr~ 11 1981 1731 FROlvi 440026 HIBERNIA ·

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